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We listen to the new album, part 5 =1
Courtesy of earMUSIC, The Highway Star is reviewing Deep Purple’s new album =1. As we are fast approaching the end of The Long Wait for its release on July 19, this segment looks at the album’s last two songs.
Deep Purple’s first studio album with new guitarist Simon McBride is one highly anticipated piece of music. For the first time in 30 years(!), the much coveted guitar position in Deep Purple has changed hands (literally), and while the new guy has already proved himself on tour for all to see, new studio material is what really counts.
Happily, the newfound energy witnessed onstage also permeates their new music. As such, the =1 album shines a proud and inimitable Purple beam that is also illuminating new musical corners in their 56 year career. Quite the feat.
We assess this music on the premise that Deep Purple is a band of elderly gentlemen who miraculously and luxuriously have not had to stop playing. And play they do. As if their lives depend on it, which of course suggests that music is their raison d’etre. Let’s be thankful for this.
After more than a month of listening, =1 stands tall as an incredibly strong-willed set of songs brimming with energy and imagination. There’s no going through the motions here from any of them. They sound so … inspired.
Which brings us nicely to the album’s final two songs – incidentally also two of the most accomplished and difficult to describe. Deep breath.
12 – I’ll Catch You – is a slow one, reflective and somber and quite different to everything else on the album. Bluesy but not an actual blues and with a very powerful performance from Ian Gillan over a gentle and supportive backing.
I guess that it’s to be expected
When I have to talk this way
When I have to speak in tongues
I want to say what can’t be saidI have to keep a straight face
When I’m breaking up inside
If you know who, knew what I thought
Then we’d both be crucifiedI dream about you every night
But you’re just beyond my reach
So now you never know my touch
And we shall never meetMother Nature’s keeping her socks on
Father Time is gonna be late
Ships at night are passing silently
And our love will have to waitMy bags are always ready
My keys are in the car
Anytime you want to jump
I’ll catch you in my armsSOLO
I’ll catch you in my arms
Anytime, Anytime, anytime you want to jump
I’ll catch you in my arms
Gillan’s voice and words show pain and longing. At a different time, he sang enthusiastically about breaking into her open heart. Now his open wounded raw delivery reveals a frailty that is both powerful and heartbreaking. As he shakes his listener, the tears are real. Deep breath.
13 – Bleeding Obvious – is the final song on =1. It has been in the live set for a while, so you may have spotted the YouTube clips. With an intense and unpredictable riff, we’re off to a very busy start, building up to the first verse.
The full-on verse gives way to a gentler chorus, then a left-field naughty chord deftly cleanses the palate before the next round.
For the solos section, the guitar and bass lift off from an Eastern viewpoint, ascending and accomplished. Then a new section arrives. Measured and masterful. Then a haunting staccato section all too brief takes us into a softer melodic and complete change of mood with slow, airy singing.
And then we head into yet another change again. An Eastern inspired theme takes us forward, powerful and mesmerising with guitar, Hammond and strings and a busy rhythm section adding energy to the beautiful execution. It’s skillful, competent, driving and driven.
The intro riff returns for a build-up to one final verse, then one more cleansing of the palate with that chord, a surprising ascending run and … the album’s over!
Bleeding Obvious concludes =1 with an intricate joyride of head spinning loops, twisting turns, steep drops and whirlwind bends. It’s brilliant. Seemingly effortless yet highly complex. Phew!
Adding up all the numbers, =1 is a fine, fresh, astute and convincing new album – and with the music still echoing around the brain, let’s celebrate the absence of superfluous covers with this lovely photo of Ian Gillan and producer Bob Ezrin at the recording sessions in Toronto. Congratulations.
All photos in this review series courtesy of earMUSIC.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Danke, Herr Heide, toll gemacht!
https://media2.giphy.com/media/3ov9k68eSyYIgKEEjC/giphy.gif
July 17th, 2024 at 22:39Got the album Deluxe Edition yesterday in Australia and I have to say it is a major improvement over Whoosh, which I save for a few great songs was ordinary. This really rocks hard with a riffier, harder style which harks back to elements of In Rock, Fireball, WDWTWA, HOBL,Burn with Keys similar to Jon Lords sound in Stormbringer! A monster all play well but Simon Mc Bride steals the show. A cracker of an Album. LONG MAY THEY LAST !! MAGNIFICENT!
July 18th, 2024 at 01:31Thanks Rasmus. It’s been great fun reading these (and having amusing chats with Uwe) Rock ‘n’ Roll on tomorrow.
July 18th, 2024 at 06:10I truly do hope that our Mods create a place where we can submit our reviews of the album. Something splendid and highly anticipated is coming. I was assured by my web shop that they dispatch the package with CD + DVD set today so I can grab it tomorrow! Yay! Best one since at least “Now What!?” is coming. As Mick Box says – “‘appy days!”. Indeed!
July 18th, 2024 at 06:49FOR ME THIS ALBUM IS ON THE SAME LEVEL AS RAPTURE OF THE DEEP.
July 18th, 2024 at 11:17FOR THOSE WHO LIVE ATTACHED TO THE PAST AND WANT ALBUMS LIKE THE ONE THEY MADE 50 YEARS AGO, IT’S GOOD.
IF YOU LIKE TO LISTEN TO NEW THINGS AND A LITTLE EVOLUTION, THIS ALBUM ONLY HAS BASIC RIFFS AND GOOD SOLOS.
STEVE MORSE WAS THE CREATIVE SOUL OF THE LAST 20 YEARS AND WITH HIS DEPARTURE THAT ENDED
Thank you very much Rasmus 😎👍
July 18th, 2024 at 12:41@ 5 Pedro Rodrigues
July 18th, 2024 at 15:32Ok.
Have a good night.
Ciaoo 🖐
@5 hey Pedro
No need to shout
July 18th, 2024 at 15:41Man, I’m hearing what you say
I’m all for basic riffs and good solos! 😂 I’m also adamant to be attached to the past.🤓
July 18th, 2024 at 18:10=1 sits at no. 5 on the UK Amazon chart (cd, lp) one day before release.
July 18th, 2024 at 19:51@5 Pedro,
The problem with your opinion is that you think that “Rapture of the Deep” was repetitive. And it wasn’t, the songs on it were far far better than on “Bananas”… So you rather missed the point. Wait until you hear “Bleeding Obvious” properly and then tell me straight in the face that it isn’t creative – just riffs and solos. Sorry, I disagree. While the album sounds more traditionally Purple, the songwriting isn’t bad, far from it. It’s not just as rectangular as Steve’s approach to melodies was. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. You already roll nicely on it. Your choice to disagree of course. Purple are not to fly the pioneer flag anymore, but to show the young how raunchy rock is still being made.
July 18th, 2024 at 19:56Pre ordered mine on Amazon ages ago …only to discover…it won’t arrive until Tuesday! Never doing that again 😒
July 18th, 2024 at 21:15With an average guitar-player / musician you cant´t expect more. With the departure of Morse, the Band should have said – said: O.k., we had a good, long time. Ciao!
July 18th, 2024 at 22:56Wow!!! Love the riffs.. my fingers are bleedin!
July 19th, 2024 at 03:40for me overall Bananas is better, then it’s true that Rapture has 3 or at most 4 top songs.
July 19th, 2024 at 04:47Bleeding Obvious is the only song on the album that doesn’t make you fall asleep during listening to, so here’s the tip for the band – fire ESPECIALLY Gillan, ESPECIALLY Airey and ESPECIALLY McBride, get back Coverdale and Hughes and ESPECIALLY Blackmore and record the sequel to the Burn album.
July 19th, 2024 at 09:54@ 15 I have an issue with both those albums production (Bananas and Rapture of The deep ) but let’s not go there. I love Bananas though
July 19th, 2024 at 13:06@16: I assume you’re just another troll but DC and RB would not be able to do another Burn today. Both not technically and because is isn’t f***ing 1974 anymore!
July 19th, 2024 at 13:27@16
Dave, and who’s to fire Gillan, Airey and McBride? Roger and Little Ian? That would be the minority firing the majority. No doubt, RB would fire IG in a wink of an eye, but he himself had left decades ago. Someone needs to re-hire him so he re-hires you to do the singing.
I think you need to talk to RB himself and iron all these things out and then come back here. You’ll also need to talk to Carole first, but that’s another topic.
P.S. How’s your voice doing?
July 19th, 2024 at 13:52@16 Since the band makes the decision it would be strange to fire themselves (but not Glover!?! – two bassists would be interesting) But since Ritchies last foray with the Strat was nothing short of embarrassing (have you listened to the CD’s?) and DC’s voice has been shot for not just years but decades doing a sequel to Burn (wasn’t Stormbringer the sequel??) would be an absolute car crash
July 19th, 2024 at 14:06@16 – and ESPECIALLY get Jon Lord back. If you do that, you could get another drummer and then you have your Burn band (not DP though).
July 19th, 2024 at 15:51Get Ritchie back? Ritchie has been playing shite for 30 years now. He tried coming back to rock and couldn’t hack it. David Coverdale is not good anymore either. The less said about Glen Hughes the better. I could comment that he is a gobshite but I won’t. MY eyes glaze whatever you say, blow it out through your portable door.
July 19th, 2024 at 21:56Yo,
@22…ROTFLMAO !!!!!!
Now that’s what you call direct-&-to-the-point…
No complaints from me about the truth ! ( But DC’s not such a bad dude yo ).
Peace !
July 20th, 2024 at 01:35Ritchie doesn’t play shite, but he can no longer credibly head a heavy rock band like DP as a lead guitarist just like Arnold Schwarzenegger could no longer credibly give an Alien hunter hell like he did in Predator.
Ritchie was concerned about his arthritis as early as the late 80ies when he started wearing that gypsy bracelet which – his grandmother said – was supposed to help against it. I guess it didn’t, but I’m not blaming him for no longer being a fast young gun.
Burn was an album of its time and our collective youth here. It cannot be repeated or continued and we’re no longer teenagers gobbling it up either. I almost creamed in my pants when I heard that Burn riff for the first time, but that was 50 years ago. Since then I can hold back a bit better though that might reverse with further physical deterioration too! 🤣
July 20th, 2024 at 15:19@16
Have you heard Coverdale singing lately or the last 10 years? The last I check Richie Blackmore is playing nursery, lullaby, songs, cheesy pop and making covers of the other artist. But I smoke whatever you are. your smoking. The problem with as some of the fans is that their clock is stuck in the 70s. Why don’t you go and listen to that music and shut the hell up
July 20th, 2024 at 16:22@ 22- for the record, the truth & the reality. Blackmore did NOT ‘try to come back to rock & couldn’t hack it’. He did a handful of shows for nostalgia stating CLEARLY well before that that was all it was going to be! He also said prior to that, that he had hand issues & couldn’t play ‘rock music’ like he use to. Obviously well before those gigs anyone or most people would know that he was out of touch with rock music, nothing more & nothing less. David Coverdale is unfortunate with his health issues, ever since Covid by the sound of it, even possibly a little before that with with initial throat & sinus issues that have been ongoing. What is wrong with growing older, well we know other things can get in the way eventually. Ian Gillan doesn’t sound like he did in his younger days either. Glenn Hughes last time I looked was still hammering away playing ‘rock’ music. I am not a Hughes follower but I still have a certain amount of respect for some of the things he does. By the way myself & many others NEVER believed any of that bullshit about the so called MKIII ‘reunion’ crap 10 years or so ago. It was NEVER going to happen. And as Uwe also stated, Blackmore doesn’t play ”shit’, he plays what you don’t like, that is all it is. I don’t like most of it either, but he still would be playing rather well me thinks, just not ‘rock’ music as such. Cheers.
July 20th, 2024 at 22:00My greatest concern is that none of us will hear DC sing live ever again!
July 21st, 2024 at 02:11Ah the truth. The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I love it.
July 22nd, 2024 at 13:15I’ve heard and read some of what the guys in DP have had to say over the years and some of the stories differ depending on who’s telling them. In a lot of cases they differ when the same guy retells them. As for Ritchie, well you can take anything he says with a pinch of salt.
Us poor eejits here in Ireland have an old saying. “You can’t believe even half the lies you here these days”. Tell me I’m wrong.
I’m sticking to my guns, I won’t back down, I know I’m right and that’s the truth.
That Blackmore was rusty at the Rainunion gigs can be forgiven. I would have had no issues had he brought a young guitarslinger along (they would have queued up to back him) to play the more “athletic” parts, with Blackers just stepping forth for solos – fine if they’re slow as long as they STILL MEAN SOMETHING. Eric Clapton plays with a second guitarist, I don’t see why Ritchie can’t, there is enough guitar in DP and Rainbow music to give two guitarists something to do.
But what cannot be forgiven is the ramshackle band he put together: A rhythm section that had zero heavy rock experience (and you heard it), a keyboarder stiff as a knäckebröd on a hot summer day (sorry, liebe Skandinavier, but Jens was terrible, I know he can be better in other environments) and a singer with a very limited (to put it mildly) grasp of the English language who sang all the songs like he was competing for The Voice – which just went to show that Ritchie (and Candice who found Romero on the internet) give a rat’s ass about the lyrics of Deep Purple & Rainbow and how they are transported. THAT was the real atrocity, not Ritchie’s arthritis stiffness. Hiring a singer not qualified for the job was akin to other ex-Purple and -Rainbow members forming a tribute and having Johnny Ramone play Ritchie’s parts.
This with all due respect to the late Johnny who was great, but not in DP or Rainbow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp3zaeOyL7Q
That is btw one Yank band I criminally forgot to mention in my list of great US bands that could have only come from over there: The Bruddahs Ramone! (Joey was a DP fan btw.)
July 22nd, 2024 at 16:52